Abortion Stance Hurts Dems

If you log on to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) web site, you will find links to dozens of interest groups including Catholics for Choice, but you won’t find a link to Democrats For Life of America, a nationwide group of loyal Democrats who happen to oppose abortion. The DNC apparently believes that Democrats who support abortion would be offended by the presence of a link to Democrats For Life—even though the group identifies itself as a collection of Democrats. This lack of tolerance for, and in some cases downright hostility towards, Democrats who oppose abortion played a major role in the resounding losses suffered by the Democratic party last week—and in particular, the loss of Democratic control of the United States Senate.

When politics is a battle to earn votes, the Democrats can ill afford to turn away a large percentage of the American electorate. Over thirty House of Representatives Democrats representing seventeen different states consistently vote against abortion. On any given life issue, as many as 70 House Democrats will vote against abortion. According to a June 2002 Gallup poll, only 25 percent of Americans support the Democratic Party’s plank that abortion should be available on demand. The Senate’s refusal to bring the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act for a vote before the election brought opponents of abortion from both parties to the polls in droves. When most Democratic candidates support abortion, however, you can easily guess the results.

Abortion likely cost the Democrats Minnesota, and thus the Senate. Former Vice President Walter Mondale accused Senator-Elect Norm Coleman of being an “Arbitrary Pro-Lifer.” Coleman then invited Mondale to join him in supporting a ban on partial birth abortions and a requirement for parental notification in cases of child pregnancy (legislation that the vast majority of Minnesotans support). Mondale stumbled for an answer, likely afraid to move from the rigid ideological position dictated by supporters of abortion rights. Democrats who are opponents of abortion heard Mondale’s views loud and clear. A vote for Mondale meant the status quo in the Senate. Now, another Republican holds a Senate seat that could have stayed Democrat.

The race would have been drastically different had the Democratic Party supported Senator-Elect Coleman when he was one of their own. Coleman was elected and served as Mayor of St. Paul as a Democrat. He and other elected officials, such as Co-Chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), left the Democratic Party because of the party’s rigid intolerance of opponents of abortion.

Another Midwestern state that has a long tradition of Democrats opposing abortion is Missouri, where Jean Carnahan lost her race against Senator-Elect Jim Talent. Historically, there is a net benefit of approximately 80,000 votes to the candidate who opposes abortion in state-wide races in Missouri. Additionally, Senator Max Cleland (D-Ga.), a wounded Vietnam Veteran who lost three of his limbs, was defeated in a pro-military state by an opponent of abortion, Republican Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.).

While several candidates who unapologetically support abortion lost their Senate bids, Senate Democrats did pick up a seat in Arkansas where Senator-Elect Mark Pryor essentially ducked the abortion issue. When pressed, Pryor said that while he personally opposes abortion, he believes a woman should have the right to choose in cases of rape or incest. Combined with questions about Sen. Hutchinson’s “family values,” this was enough for Democrats who oppose abortion to feel comfortable supporting Pryor.

Too many Democrats who oppose abortion are leaving the Party. Others who remain loyal are sandbagged. Since Roe v. Wade, Democrats such as Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) have been discouraged from seeking higher office unless they change their position on the life issue. Rep. Oberstar courageously stuck to his beliefs and years ago lost the support of the party for a U.S. Senate bid. Fortunately, he has continued to serve his constituents and been a strong leader opposing abortion in the House. Had he won the Senate bid, he would have been at least as effective.

This election was a dismal failure for Democrats and especially the leadership of the Democratic Party. But it does leave one to ponder what the composition of the House and Senate would look like today had the Democratic Party kept the voters who oppose abortion who jumped ship before it sank on Nov. 5, 2002. I hope the DNC will “get it” and understand that their current stance on abortion is no way to run a majority party. Democrats For Life of America believes that a return to being a “party of inclusion” and respecting “the individual conscience of each American” may be the only way for the Democratic Party to make any gains in future elections.

Kristen Day is Executive Director of Democrats For Life of America, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C.